Cllr Mahasela inaugurated as new mayor

In accepting her position, Ms Mahasela said she would strive to ensure that the council, the administration and the community pull together in the same direction. She promised that the municipality would be “a shining example of how public participation can enhance the implementation of government policies and programmes aimed at community development.”

She urged the councillors, administration staff and Musina community to be prepared to work as a unit “because united we stand, and divided we fall”.

Out of five mayors in the Vhembe district, Cllr Mahasela is one of the three females. Others are Cllr Glory Tsakani Mashaba of the Makhado Local Municipality and Cllr Irene Mutsila of the Vhembe District Municipality.

Cllr Mahasela became deeply entrenched in politics when she joined the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) in 1992. Sadtu is affiliated to the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), which is part of the tripartite alliance that includes the African National Congress (ANC) and South African Communist Party (SACP).

Five years as a unionist made Cllr Mahasela switch to become a politician when she joined the ANC in 1997. Two years down the line, she was elected as secretary of the Musina ANC Women’s League.

After the 2000 local government elections, Cllr Mahasela reached the pinnacle of her political involvement when she became a member of the plenary council of the Musina Local Municipality under the leadership of former mayor, Alderman David Phologa.

In 2003, Cllr Mahasela served in the regional executive committee of the ANC Women’s League. She was later elected as member of the Musina ANC branch executive committee. Since becoming a councillor, Cllr Mahasela has facilitated the formation of the Musina Sports Council and the introduction of various sporting codes such as the indigenous games.

News - Date: 24 March 2006

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